The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Doritaenopsis Orchid, a bigeneric hybrid of Doritis×Phalaenopsis of the family Orchidaceae, and hereinafter referred to a cultivar name, SOGO F977. The genus Doritaenopsis is a member of the family Orchidaceae.
Doritaenopsis comprise a group of bigeneric hybrids generally intermediate in character between the parent genera, which are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. The parent genera of Doritaenopsis are predominantly epiphytic or rock dwelling, and are native to tropical Asia, Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically have 2-ranked fleshy oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.
Doritaenopsis orchid, often referred to ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade, or sold as flowering potted plants for home or interiorscape.
Doritaenopsis produce upright racemes, often with many showy flowers, which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals, and three petals, the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three lobed and is often more brightly colored than other flower segments. Flower colors are frequently various shades of pink, white and yellow.
Doritaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. However, Doritaenopsis is capable of being asexually reproduced from offshoots, which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.
‘SOGO F977’ is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform pot-type Doritaenopsis Orchid cultivars having attractive flower coloration. The inventor has been addressed himself to the Orchids breeding since 1985.
‘SOGO F977’ was discovered by the inventor from within the progeny of a cross-pollination of one Phalaenopsis Orchid, Phalaenopsis ‘Ho's French Fantasia’ and one Doritaenopsis Orchid, Doritaenopsis ‘Sun Prince’, on Feb. 1999, in a controlled environment in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Asexual propagation by tissue culture in a laboratory in Pingdong County, Taiwan, R.O.C. has been used to increase the number of plants for evaluation and has demonstrated in a controlled environment in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C. that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new Doritaenopsis Orchid are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.